Disability Services

What is a learning disability?

Learning disabilities come in many varieties: dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADD, ADHD, and the list goes on. If you have a learning disability, it does not mean that you cannot learn. On the contrary, most people with learning disabilities have average to above average intelligence. What it does mean, however, is that the normal functioning within the areas of the brain that store and recall information may not be working correctly for you. This can be frustrating for a person who is trying to learn. At Mid- Atlantic Christian University we want to assist you in achieving your full academic potential.

What can Mid-Atlantic do to help me?

In keeping with the university's mission, the Office of Learning Enhancement Services strives to assist students in becoming independent learners. The University will meet with identified students at the beginning of each semester to complete their educational plan. These plans are agreements between the students and professors—students agree to commit themselves one hundred percent to their studies and professors agree to make the reasonable necessary accommodations students request. Some of the accommodations MACU is prepared to offer learning disabled students include: on-campus tutoring, preferential seating in class, use of tape recorders in class, and extended testing time.

What do I need to do before I come to Mid-Atlantic?

If you are a student who is currently involved in an IEP, your parents (or guardian) have probably been your biggest advocate. Once you turn 18, you become responsible for advocating for yourself. Once you are accepted for enrollment at MACU, if you think you will need certain accommodations in your classes, you will need to submit the following items to the Director of Learning Enhancement Services: results from a complete psychological-educational evaluation, which should include at minimum The Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS III), including IQ and performance tests and subtests. Results should be less than three years old and the test must be administered by a certified psychiatrists or a licensed educational psychologist;a letter from the test administrator that provides a clinical summary, the specific diagnosis, and the recommended accommodations;a copy of your current or most recent IEP, Annual Review data, and/or other placement team data.This information should be sent to Academic Affairs Office, 715 N. Poindexter St., Elizabeth City, NC 27909 by August 1st. Upon receipt of this information, the university will contact you to discuss the reasonable accommodations Mid-Atlantic can offer during your enrollment.